Children who have a learning disability and are considered gifted are called Twice Exceptional or 2e. Your child may be gifted in a certain area but have a learning or developmental disability, like ADHD, that may or may not overshadow their giftedness.
Sometimes Twice Exceptional children are overlooked because their giftedness allows them to compensate for their disability or their disability overshadows their giftedness. Schools work to keep children on par with the grade level being taught, so gifted children tend to become bored with the material. Therefore, their giftedness may go under the radar. However, technically speaking, if a gifted child is performing below their capabilities- even if that is academically advanced than they are being impacted by their diagnosis. Oftentimes this also prevents an accurate diagnosis or the school may deny services through a 504. According to the National Association of Gifted Children, this is especially true for minority children whom are less likely to be detected at the school level thus may not receive the opportunity for Gifted support services.
Some characteristics of a twice-exceptional student may be:
- May have a learning disability
- Behaviorally immature for their age
- Intellectually advanced for their age
- Likely to be misdiagnosed with several diagnoses. Often receive an ODD or ADHD diagnosis that doesn’t seem to fit
- Stubborn
- Frequently poor study habits (do not study for tests or do homework)
- Sensitive to being criticized
- May argue as if they have a need to be right
- Easily frustrated, especially by their peers
- They are frequently creative and think ‘outside the box’
- Frequently have a wide vocabulary with several interests
- Exceptional strengths in some subject areas
- May be described as an old soul
- May participate in high risk (high adrenaline) behaviors
- Asynchronous development (really advanced in somethings, delayed in others)
Twice-exceptional children tend to blend into their school environment because they can compensate for the areas that are weaker. Since they are a master of disguise, they typically receive less support at school and are more likely to be overlooked by pediatricians, counselors, and others that are not educated in the importance of recognizing twice-exceptionality. Some schools refuse to offer a 504/IEP plan due to academic achievement. On the outside, it seems as though your child is thriving in school, but they actually could use a little extra support in certain areas.
By getting a proper diagnosis, it will help you get a better understanding of your child. You can see a professional who specializes in diagnosing giftedness, which will allow you to establish the support your child needs. Twice-exceptional children benefit from counseling in a different way than most. They require counseling that allows them to strategize and talk through their worries, expand their thinking and oftentimes, become more flexible. Twice-exceptional children usually struggle more with high anxiety and low self-esteem. This is because they spend their academic life overcompensating for things that are challenging, without fully recognizing that they are actually struggling. It is like the ultimate mind game where no matter what they are losing. Counseling is used primarily to support them in a way that they can start to work on their stress levels and their confidence.
So, if you notice your child is light years ahead in one subject, and behind (even if that means in advance of their academic grade level) in other subjects, this may show that your child is 2E. We love helping 2E kids find their stride- reach out today.